Tanger Blood Drive Gives Free Mets Tickets to Donors

Suffolk County Legis. Ed Romaine, R-Center Moriches, and Long Island Blood Services are holding a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon at Tanger Outlet Mall. Donors who give blood will not only help fill a shortage in supply, but will receive two free tickets to a Mets game in the mail.

Romaine said he was contacted by the New York Blood Center about sponsoring a blood drive and was happy to help.

"We encourage people to give blood," Romaine said, "Most residents of this community will go to the hospital at least once in their lives...we're very interested in helping our community."  

Giving blood is especially important in the summer months, said Long Island Blood Services employee Geraldine Delcolle, because of a lack of donors.

"There's always a shortage," she said, "always a need."

Delcolle, who has worked for LIBS for 23 years, said that the donation goal for today's event was 40 pints, or about 40 donors. By 11:30, almost 10 had already given blood.

There are a few restrictions on who can give blood. Donors must be at least 16-years-old and weigh over 110 lbs. Anyone over 75 would need a doctor's note to donate blood.

"But there's a good many years in between then when you can give," Delcolle said.

Jay Martinez was one of several to donate blood in the first few minutes of the blood drive. Martinez said he has been donating blood, in between getting tattoos or surgeries, for his entire life.

"I had low T blood cells during surgery and I was saved thanks to a donation," he said as he filled out the paperwork to give again. "You gotta give back, you know what I'm saying?"

As he finished his paperwork, Martinez turned to a friend looking on hesitantly nearby.

"You should do this," he said. "It takes 20 minutes. And you get baseball tickets!"